To think we have the gall to believe we can valuate human life and find its loss acceptable...
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/04/02/1048962796085.html

"We had hope, but then you Americans came to bring us democracy and our hope ended." - Bakhat Hassan after losing virtually his entire family

America is not a democracy. How can we expect these people to believe they will get more than the American people have? The may get a mock republic, at best. Until they can freely decide for themselves, they are not getting freedom or democracy. They are getting invaded and occupied and dictated to. Their nation will be pummeled and then rebuilt without their or their history's input. It will be rebuilt by westerners. And later they will enter a western restaurant in Baghdad, sit down and pick up a magazine from February or March. In it they will see the western leaders dismissing the notion of letting their people have a say in the war. They will see the words of John Howard and George Bush when they said that they wouldn't listen to protesters and only their will would be followed. And these people might think to themselves, "Where is the democracy? What is so different now except for this McDonalds? My [mosque, home, business, farm] is gone and foreigners control my country. They tell me how to live, how to elect and where I can go. Where is the freedom?"

Here's an answer that might make some look away in shame. Others would continue their disregard. "They're foreigners, so who cares what we do to them."

As for the deaths of these and other innocents, America is now behaving like 6 year old boys. It's just like the Israeli/Palestinian conflicts where one blamed the other for forcing them to react, except the US is not talking about how childish this tactic is any more. It's their new mantra 'Saddam made us do it', much like the abusive spouse who strikes and then exclaims "see what you made me do!" Saying it is a necessary by-product of war does not make it OK. It does not make it right. Proponents of war are the ones who created that statement up in the first place. (Update: I've just read that the US is saying the Iraqi military is killing 'more' civilians than the US. Apparently that somehow makes it OK...)

An American soldier was recently quoted as saying, that he is ready to be part of a modern-day Roman legion to rid the world of terrorists. I'm convinced this is exactly what Bush and his hawks are hoping they'll get. Unfortunately, the less zealous soldiers don't make good media, so you'll probably hear that one more than the medic who wondered how many more countries the White House will ask him to invade before the world is 'safe'. And the Pentagon is saying that debate (thought crime?) is harmful to the troops. It appears they are tough enough to face death, but not debate amongst citizens or superiors. Sounds like the Pentago is offering a big steaming cup of STFU to all.

"Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword", said the man who is George W. Bush's spiritual leader. (Matthew 10:34, for the curious)